United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Juvenile fiction; Yorktown (Va.) -- History -- Siege, 1781 -- Juvenile fiction
“Well, what did the man do as we camped there the night before the
battle? Why, he went among the men as they sat about the camp-fires, and
told them he was going to fight and just what he wanted them to do. The
result was a glorious victory the next day.
“We rose early and breakfasted quietly, and then prepared to fight.
About eight o’clock the enemy came in sight and drew up in line of
battle. No sooner were they formed than they rushed forward shouting
like a lot of demons. ’Tis Colonel Tarleton’s way of attack, and
ofttimes it scares the militia so that they become panic stricken, and
break and run. This was the time when they didn’t.
“The militia received the first onslaught, fired two volleys and then
fell back, according to instructions. As they did so the British yelled
and shouted, and advanced in a run. And then you should have seen how
Pickens’ sharpshooters got in their work. ‘Wait until they are within
fifty yards,’ they had been told, ‘and then fire.’ They followed their
orders to the letter, and picked off the men with the epaulettes until
the ranks of the British were demoralized by the loss of officers. Then
the second line cleared, and we regulars advanced, and charged. The next
thing any of us knew the British infantry threw away their arms, and
began to cry for quarter.
“Colonel Tarleton then ordered his dragoons to charge while he attempted
to rally the infantry, but the rout was too complete. When he found that
he could do nothing with the infantry, he made another struggle to get
his cavalry to charge, hoping to retrieve the day, but his efforts
proved fruitless. They forsook him, and went flying from the field of
battle. Colonel William Washington pursued them until evening, and on
his return drove before him a number of prisoners which he had collected
on the route.
“There were six hundred men captured; ten officers and more than a
hundred men killed, but Tarleton, I am sorry to say, escaped. All the
cannon, arms, equipage, music and everything fell into our hands, while
our loss was but twelve killed and sixty wounded. Oh, I tell you we were
jubilant! We crossed the river, making a détour to escape his lordship,
and brought our prisoners and booty safe to a junction with the main
army. General Greene was delighted over the victory, for the destruction
of Colonel Tarleton’s force will cripple Cornwallis severely. After a
few more such victories I think his lordship will realize that he no
longer hath a Gates to deal with.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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